|
The Birds Gave Clinton the Blues — Restivo Outduels Winnie as Robins Keep Rising
By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | June 15, 2025
CLINTON — In front of a packed house, under bright skies and brighter expectations, Clinton’s undefeated ace Mike “Winnie” Smith was supposed to do what he always does: chew up innings and shut down hope.
Instead, he just got chewed up.
The Red Springs Red Robins, winners of five of their last seven, rolled into Clinton on Saturday and walked out with a statement win, blanking the first-place Blues 3-0 behind a two-hit gem from Luke Restivo and a fearless offensive attack that finally cracked the code on the league’s most hyped arm.
Let’s just say it: Clinton might be a paper tiger.
Restivo, calm as a church pew in August, outdueled the vaunted Smith with nine innings of surgical precision: 107 pitches, 76 strikes, six Ks, and only two hits allowed. The Blues barely made solid contact all day.
Meanwhile, Clinton left Smith out to dry. The knuckleballer threw a jaw-dropping 151 pitches (yes, 151) and batted in the 9th inning despite the Blues trailing 3-0. No pinch hitter. No bullpen help. Just vibes and... well, not much else.
“He’s tough, no doubt,” said Red Springs skipper Elijah Crabtree. “But you can’t float butterflies past us all day and not expect us to swat a few. I’ll take my guys’ grit over smoke and mirrors.”
Danny Abell’s two-out double in the sixth lit the fuse. Josh Fleisher and Shane Hangen followed with clutch RBIs, and just like that, Clinton was chasing a deficit with a tired starter. A crowd of 5,452 got a front-row seat to their team’s unraveling.
Even Smith’s teammates looked gassed. While Clinton may lead the standings, the Robins have now faced nearly everyone — and Lumberton, Rockingham and Sanford all looked more dangerous. More pop. More depth. More answers.
Meanwhile, Red Springs (12-10) keeps climbing. The rotation is clicking. The top of the lineup is rolling. And if you’re sleeping on this squad? Don’t. Not now.
Game 2 is Monday. Clinton’s in a corner. The Robins? They’re just getting started.
|